The DeLarké girls in Amarna
by crazycatluver
Summary: (Amelia Peabody series) Nefret's new friend Merry is quite the character, who always seems as though she has two personallities... who's side is she acctually on anyway? suck at summeries so please just R&R! Chapter 5 up!
1. Chapter 1

Hello peoples, just to let you know, this book takes place in: the snake, the crocodile and the dog.

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Chapter 1:

Amelia walked upstairs to Nefret's room, wondering if she should. Nefret had just came back from a little get together with some students from her school and it didn't go to well.

"Nefret... may I come in?" asked Amelia knocking on the door.

"Yes you may." came the mumboled reply of Nefret. Amelia took a deep breath and went in. Nefret was sitting on her bed calmly reading.

"So I take it that it was terrible?" asked Amelia.

"Acually no, for the most part anyway... no one was really kind towards me except for this one girl she didn't look to happy in a dress, I think she was one of the girls step-sister but she knows a lot about Egypt and even my native language. The first time she looked at me she nearly fell off of her chair." said Nefret putting her book down.

"Oh thats lovely now I can have someone translate you when you don't want to be heard." replied Amelia smiling.

"Could she come over for dinner after school tomorrow?" asked Nefret trying not to show how much she was excited.

"Of course, make sure to tell her to bring a change of clothes though, we are going... I'm not sure where, Emerson won't tell me." replied Amelia, Nefret jumped off of the bed and walked calmly down the stairs and went to get her coat.

"Wait, aren't you just going to telegraph her or something like that?" asked Amelia walking after her. Nefret shook her head no then shut the door and left.

"Where is she going in such a hurry?" asked Amelia's eleven year old son Ramses walking up behind his mother.

"I do not know... would you mind following her, I would not like her to kidnapped," Thinking how many times that happened to Ramses. Ramses nodded, grabed his coat and started to walk after Nefret.

"Now why did you do that Peabody?" asked Emerson comming out of his study.

"I just want to make sure that Nefret doesn't go and get herself into trouble that's all." said Amelia. "Oh and by the way... one of Nefret's friends will be joining us for dinner tomorrow night." Emerson nodded and went off muttering about another prissy girl comming to dinner.

"Nefret shouldn't have gotten much farther." said Ramses walking down the street Nefret had turned onto. He could see Nefret just barely through the fog.

"Pardon me sir but no I do not." said the firm voice of Nefret as a man grabed her arm and said something to her.

"Nefret! Are you alright?" called Ramses picking up his pace, running head long into a mob of men. Nefret screamed as she was being draged into an ally way. Then a figure with a cap covering their eyes and hair and wearing boys clothes jumped out of the ally.

"Who are you? Get out of my way!" yelled the men the heald Nefret by the arm.

"I think not sir." said the figure, with a bit of a femin type of voice, punching the man in the nose. While he stagered backwards the figure grabed Nefret and made their way towards Ramses who was doing his best to fend off the mob.

"Nefret get into that carrage over there... I have to help Ramses." said the figure letting go of Nefret and running over to Ramses's side. Nefret didn't know if she could trust the person so she stayed where she was.

"Come on Ramses, they will not be knocked out for long." said the person grabing Ramses and Nefret and ran towards the carrage. Helping both Ramses and Nefret into it, then jumping in after.

"Thank you very much... who are you?" asked Nefret as the carrage started to ride at breakneck speed. the person took off the cap revealing a pretty face and her hair up in a low bun.

"Oh you know who I am Nefret Forth, It's me... Merry." said Merry. Ramses looked confused.

"Thank you so much for saving Ramses and my own life Merry, I was acually on my way over to your house to invite you to dinner tomorrow... why may I ask are you dressed as a boy?" asked Nefret looking at her thirteen year old friend strangly.

"Yes please do tell... Merry." said Ramses trying to stop the cut on his arm from bleeding.

"I know, you are bafled by my appearence and my name.... the reasons are simple, no one would think a girl as a threat now would they also I just don't like dresses. And Merry is my nickname, my real name is sadly Merideth. We are here, come get inside your house before they come back." said Merry opening up the door to the carrage.

"Come in with us Merry, you are hurt." said Nefret pointing at Merry's left arm which had a nasty cut on it.

"Fine, but please don't tell you're parents that I am the friend that you were going to invite to dinner tomorrow, sometimes the parents don't like the way I dress." said Merry getting out of the carrage with the help of Ramses.

"Aunt Amelia! Professor! I'm back with my friend and Ramses." called Nefret as she entered the house. Merry said a few curses to her in Arabic. Amelia and Emerson came bounding down the stairs.

"Hello I'm Amelia Emerson... what happened to you all?" she asked taking a good look at all of them.

"Well we were ambushed on the way to Merry's house..." started Nefret when Emerson inturupted.

"What!!! By who and why?" he thundered. "And who's Merry?"

"I'm Merry sir, Merideth that is... and it is a pleasure to finally meet the famouse Radcliffe Emerson." said Merry reaching out to shake his hand. Emerson shook it wondering what a girl was doing in boys clothing.

"As I was saying... Merry came to our rescue and here we are." finished Nefret. Amelia was looking at Ramses's various cuts on him then seeing that they were mostly just scratches turned to Merry.

"Let me see your arm, I am sort of a docter you know..." said Amelia.

"I know who you are Sitt Hakem, you are very well known in Egypt." said Merry holding out her arm for Amelia to tend to.

"How very interesting, so you have been to Egypt a few times then? - Well you will need a few stitches on that cut of yours please come onto the sitting room." said Amelia sending one of her maids to fetch her medical case.

"Oh no really, It's getting dark, I must be getting home, my sister will not be worried but I don't usually stay out this late." said Merry starting for the door. "I will not hear of it, you will be spending the night, I must make sure that this doesn't get infected. Now come." said Amelia taking Merry by the right arm and draging her into the sitting room.

"That must be the longest time I have ever not heard you speak Ramses, whats the matter?" asked Nefret as they went upstairs to get ready for dinner.

"It's nothing just... I got saved by a girl thats all." Ramses said quietly.

"Well she is not the most ordanary girl though, she is from the excact same place that I came from." said Nefret running into her room and shutting the door.

"What!" said Ramses trying to follow her.

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	2. Sorry for the short chapter 2

Chapter 2: 'Nefret open up! What do you mean?" said Ramses pounding on Nefret's door. "What's all this?" asked Merry comming upstairs with a large bandage on her arm, her sleeve rolled up to her taned sholder. "Are you from the city of the holy mountains?" asked Ramses taking his attention off of the door and onto Merry, so he didn't notice Nefret opening up the door behind him. "Possably, you can never tell with me or my family... well I've got to go now." said Merry strightning herself up to her full hight, which was about six feet, taller than Ramses at the moment, then diving literly into Nefret's room who closed and locked the doors behind her, leaving Ramses once again pounding at the doors. "That was funny... how long do you think before Mrs. Emerson comes looking for me?" asked Merry floping onto Nefret's bed. "You can never tell... three, two one..." said Nefret then Amelia was the one pounding on the door. "Nefret! Is Merideth in there?" asked Amelia. "Open up, Emerson has some questions for her." "Hide me, more than likly he will ask me about the mountains. I'll be in the closet." whispered Merry creaping into the closet. Nefret walked over and opened up the door. "Took you long enough, where is she?" asked Emerson barging in, followed by Ramses then Amelia. "I'll search the closet." said Ramses watching the eyes of Nefret getting larger with worry. Ramses walked over and opened the door to the closet revealing... nothing but clothes. "Well I guess she's not in here, you can just leave now..." started Nefret when one of their servants screamed. "What could it be?" asked Amelia running out of the room and down the stairs, Nefret hot on her tail almost falling down the stairs head first if it wasn't for Ramses. When they all got to the sitting room they saw what had happened. "Sir, this... person just droped from the celing, I had no choice but to knock it unconsious." said one of the newest butler smiling proudly at what he tought was a good thing. Nefret looked up at the tall celing where there was a large hole that most likly lead to the attic. "Hell and damnation!" "Please bring her into the spare room Emerson, she's probably got a concusion." said Amelia Emerson picked up the limp body of Merry and followed Amelia out the door. "Oh this is great, now i will never know if what you say is true." said Ramses walking out of the room. "Oh it is true alright Ramses." I hope she will live, or I will never live it downm ever." said Nefret running upstairs tearstreaked face and sat down outside the sparebedroom door waiting for Amelia to come out and tell her if she will be alright or not. around three hours later Amelia finally came out the door. "Is she going to be alright?" asked Nefret tears welding up in her pretty eyes. "I don't know how to tell you this Nefret, but I am afraid that Merry is..." started Amelia. -!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!- REVIEW OR NO UPDATE FOR YOU... 


	3. Chapter 3: Sethos?

Chapter 3: "Merry's going to be just fine a rather large headach but alright for now." said Merry walking up behind Amelia. Nefret smiled. "That's good now isn't it?" she asked walking into the room. "Excuse me... Mrs. Emerson? There is a man at the door for you." said Rose walking up to Amelia. "Thank you Rose, now if you could... please go and help the others in trying to clean up the sitting room, I am putting you in charge of that." said Amelia. Rose nodded and walked away. Amelia rushed down the stairs wondering who it could be at this hour. "Can I help you sir?" asked Amelia once she got to the door. "Perhaps Ma'am, I have come to the belief that my sister Merideth is here." said the man with curly borwn hair in a rain coat. "Yes, she is... would you like me to get her mister..." replied Amelia. He nodded yes in responce. "Excuse me for a moment." she said walking back up the stairs to the bedroom Merry and Nefret were in. "Let me guess, someones here to take me away?" said Merry in an anoyed voice as she got up and headed for the door. Amelia nodded. "What do you mean?" asked Nefret following Merry out of the room. "Seth... is that you?" asked Merry with excitment in her voice as she walked down the stairs. Seth looked up at Merry and smiled. "What... have I been away to long for your liking?" asked Seth in responce. Merry went over and gave her brother a hug. "What do you think! I have been waiting for you to come back for like... almost a year now. Where have you been?!" asked Merry letting her brother go. "Well, my father needed more help over in Egypt than he let mother onto believing." said Seth. "Nefret, Mrs. Emerson, Ramses this is my brother, Seth. Seth is my step-brother... I was adopted. Seth here has been away in Egypt for the last year with his father, leaving myself and my mother to manage seven of my brothers and my one sister." said Merry. "Oh really, and what praytell does your father do?" asked Amelia studying Seth as he looked familliar in some strange way. "I myself have absolutly no idea but I am sure Sethos here does..." said Merry using her nickname for her brother. Amelia let out a small gasp and Emerson came storming out of his study. "I thought I told everyone that the name Sethos was never to be used in this household ever!" he thundered. "It twas just a nickname tis all Sir... I got it from my step-father's name." said Merry trying to correct herself but just making matters worse. "Lets get going, NOW." said Seth draging Merry out of the house. "Farwell Nefret. I doubt we shall see each other soon." said Merry getting into the carrage. "Well this is just wonderful." said Emerson walking briskly back to his study. "Nefret, I am not sure we can trust the girl." said Amelia, Nefret looked hurt. "But why Aunt Amelia? Just because her father is someone whom you have had a bad expearence with doesn't mean his spouse will." said Nefret countered. "Nefret does have a good argument there Mama." said Ramses taking Nefret's side, for reasons only he would know... for now anyways. "I will go and talk to Emerson... but I wouldn't count on it." said Amelia walking over to Emerson's study where much cursing and banging was being heard. "I know why you took my side Ramses... you like her don't you?" teased Nefret as the two walked up to their rooms. Ramses blushed. "That is not true, I only took your side because I felt as though you were right Nefret. Though I too know why you want to see Merry again... you like Seth do you not?" replied Ramses. Nefret blushed profously. "How dare you accuse me of such things Ramses! I only stood up for what I know is right. Now good night." said Nefret walking into her room and slaming it. Ramses smiled at his accomplishment. Before Ramses walked into his room, Amelia walked up to him. "Ramses, your father and I are taking a trip to Egypt so Emerson can let off some steam about this little incident tonight, a bit like second honeymoon to be precice. You and Nefret will be staying with Walter and Evelyn while we are away. So go a pack now." she said. Ramses was about to protest about why he couldn't come with them but shut his mouth and went to pack. Amelia went and told Nefret the same thing and within a week, they were off. AT THE DOCK: "I do wish that you would allow Ramses and myself to join you Aunt Amelia." said Nefret as Amelia and Emerson boarded their ship. "Because my dear girl, you will be needed here more than at the dig... we are searching for Nefretiti's tomb this time. Good bye and be good." said Amelia. "Good-bye Aunt Amelia and good luck as well." said Nefret waving a farwell to Them both. Little did they know but someone else had been listening to them the entire time.... someone who was not going to use this information for the greater good... !#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!#!# Interesting eh'? please review!!! Thanx to everyone who reviewed in the past!!! Sorry for the squished writing once again!!! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Ramses walked silently up to his room, mad at his parents that they didn't take him to Egypt this time.

"Ramses are you still upset about not going this time. Are you?" asked Nefret walking over to him.

"No not at all, now if you will excuse me... I should like to read now, good night Nefret." replied Ramses taking out the key to his room and unlocking his door then locking it behind him once more when he got inside.

Ramses turned around to see Merry calmly laying down on his bed reading one of his books. "What in the world are you doing here!" he yelled.

Merry looked up in surprise. "Ah, Ramses you finally decided to come back... by the way your taste in books is somewhat dull if you ask me." Merry replied sitting up and putting the book down.

"How did you get in here? The door was locked from the outside." said Ramses looking puzzled.

Merry pointed to the semi-broken window on the East wall. "Windows are so useful these days, don't you agree Ramses?" asked Merry getting up and starting to walk around looking at all of Ramses' little experiments around his room.

Ramses was about to reply when he heard someone knocking at the door. "Ramses? Are you allright?" asked Nefret trying to open the door and failing.

"Yes Nefret." replied Ramses.

But as usual Nefret wouldn't take him for his word and unlocked his door with a bobby pin and was startled that Merry was in there too. "How did you- when did you-." started Nefret.

"Window. And did you know that Ramses is very dull when it comes to his taste in books. Uh oh... who's comming now?" asked Merry turning a bit pale at the thought of Emerson bursting into the room and throwing her out the window... which in no doubt he would do so if only she wasn't a girl.

Evelyn came walking in. "What in the world... is there a girl in your room Ramses? And why is the window broken?" she asked eyeing Merry strangly.

"Allow me to introduce myself madam... I am Merideth, Merideth um... De Larké that is." replied Merry holding out her hand as a greeting.

Evelyn looked at Merry like she was some kind of freak, but then again anyone would the way Merry was dressed.

"Alright then, well I had better go now, my entire famliy is going to... uh somewhere and I don't want to be left behind. I shall let myself out now. Farewell Ramses, Nefret and you too Evelyn." said Merry walking over to the window and she would have jumped out it too... if only Ramses hadn't interfered by grabing her by the arm and drging her away from the window.

"Please, use the front door like a normal person." said Nefret. "The window is so barbaric."

Merry nodded and Ramses' grip relexed, which wasn't the smartest thing to do because as soon as he did that Merry ran over to the window and started to climb out of it.

"I don't like non-dramatic exits so I shall go out the window." said Merry jumping down... which was about a story high and landing on the ground with very little grace.

Then started to walk around the side of the house and would have made it across the lawn too.. if only the other girl wearing a simple black skirt, a white blouse and a parosal, hadn't noticed her.

"Why on earth did you have to smash the window? Really Merideth your vulgarity is absolutly limitless!" she said. "I thought you swore to do things properly from now on!"

"Awww, but I don't wanna be proper!" Merry exclaimed and the other girl sighed pushing her hat farther onto her head hiding her dark brown hair and her grey-blue coloured eyes.

"Kindly use proper diction in my presence, Merideth."

Merry rolled her eyes and started to run, saying "Oh, come on, don't be so stuffy Marisa!" And they both ran out into the streets. Although Ramses was running trying to catch up with the two of them.

"Run Marisa hold up your skirts would you!" yelled Merry running faster than Marisa as she had pants on.

"Well it is not my fault I like to be presentable and you do not!" yelled Marisa holding up her skirts a little bit.

"Watch out Ramses is right behind you!" yelled Merry running around the corner Marisa looked back and saw Ramses gaining on her... fast. She let out a little squeak and turned the corner too, dissappearing along with Merry. By the time Ramses turned the corner both of the girls were gone. He listened for awhile then reached down an ally way and grabed who he believed to be Merry, although she had changed into a black skirt and a white blouse with a strange looking hat on her head.

"Do let go of me sir, I have a parosaland I know how to use it." threatened Merry holding her parosol out threatningly. Ramses looked confused.

"Were you not wearing trousers and a different shirt just a few moments ago Merry?" he asked confused. Merry looked at him funny for a few seconds with her pearcing grey-blue eyes then she seemed to hear the question clearly.

"I felt that this was more becomming to my stature is this a problem?" she asked. "Now if you would be do kind as to let me go... I must be on my way, tell Nefret that I shall stop in later on. Good bye Master Ramses." and with that... Merry walked off down the street. Ramses was still quite confused but went on back to his uncle's house without further delay.

AT MERRY & MARISA'S HOUSE:

"Why me? Why do I have to have somewhat of a boy for a sister!" said Marisa walking into her and Merry's bedroom, which their step-sister made them share.

"Is it my fault that Ramses grabbed you instead of me?" countered Merry who was laying on her bed reading one of Ramses' novels.

"No! But what I am saying is that he though I was you and he called me... Merry." said Marisa with a sour face as she sat down on her perfect bed. Merry put the book down.

"Well no duh. I mean we are indentical twins you know." replied Merry walking over to their mirror and taking out her short dark brown hair, only to put it right back up in a low bun.

"That is aside the point Merideth! No well, actually that was the point. Oh well never mind. Just make sure you don't tell our step-sister, or step-father about this. Or Seth either. I am going to have a bath now if you will excuse me Merideth." said Marisa walking out of the room.

Merry went back to 'her' book which she was done, but was reading it again... it was Ramses' book that she had "borrowed".

"MERIDETH! Get down here this instant!" someone belowed from downstairs. Merry sighed and walked slowly down the stairs. Only to be greeted by a hard smack on the face, which sent her flying into the table.

"You kniving little witch! Do you know what will happen if Mr. Emerson finds out where you live! He will sue us for you breaking the window in their house!" yelled Elizabeth, Merry's oldest and only step-sister hitting Merry again.

"It is not my fault that they leave their doors locked." replied Merry narrowly missing another smack from Elizabeth.

"What do you think you are doing!" yelled Seth as he came running down the stairs, Marisa close behind. Merry took that chance to flee out the back door, Marisa ran after her leaving her two yelling step- brother and sister fighting in the lounge.

"Merry, you do know that you deserved one of those hits, right?" asked Marisa walking up beside Merry who had sat down on the curb outside their house.

"Thats was a sad attempt at trying to help me Marisa. I'll climb in through the window later, just make sure that it is unlocked this time." replied Merry standing up, rubbing her cheek where Elizabeth had hit her. "Elizabeth is bigger on properness than you Marisa." "Proper diction in my presence Merideth." replied Marisa before walking back inside the house for the night.

"I think I shall take a little walk and do please leave the window unlocked for me." muttered Merry getting up and starting to walk into the cold night air, searching for something to do.

"Where is she going?" asked Elizabeth when Marisa walked in and Merry did not.

"Leave the both of them alone Elizabeth." said Seth from the other room. Elizabeth looked flustered and truned around to go clean something... again. It was about eleven thirty by the time Merry climbed in the window.

"Took you long enough. I have been worried sick about you Merideth, we do have the privillage of attending... someone's house for lunchen in the morning you know." said Marisa sitting up in her bed and turning on a nearby lamp.

"Oh very funny Marisa, well seeing as though I do not intend on going and wearing a... dress, what an awful word. I am going to return this book to Ramses as this was the one he was in the middle of reading. I shall see you in the morning dear sister and do please leave the window unlocked for me." said Merry walking over to her bed and grabbing Ramses' book then headed for the door once more.

"You shall do no such thing..." started Marisa but she was cut short by Merry jumping out of their window.

"The girl is a freak..." 

"I really should have gotten a coat." said Merry as she walked towards Walter and Evelyn's house which was only a few blocks away from her house. Marisa walked out of her room and into Seth's room, who woke with a start.

"Seth. I need you to follow Merideth, I fear that she is going to do something stupid again." said Marisa as Seth started to sit up.

"But when is she not doing something stupid?" asked Seth. Marisa gave him the evil eye. "Alright just pass me over a shirt." said Seth getting up and out of bed, Marisa passed him over a shirt that he had slung over a chair.

UNDER RAMSES' BALCONY:

"Marisa won't be happy that I have to go through a window again..." said Merry starting to climb up the wall. She was at the window sill when she realised that Ramses wasn't asleep yet.

'Go to sleep now or I will hurt you!' thought Merry nearly loseing her footing and plunging down. after Ramses didn't go to sleep for twenty minutes, Merry started to climb over to Nefret's room when someone started to call her name from below.

"Merry! get down right now!" yelled Seth from below her. Merry looked in through Ramses' window only to see that he was right infront of it looking at her.

"Hello Ramses, I was just stopping by to give you back your book which I borrowed frrom you eairler(?). Well I must go now." said Merry handing Ramses his book as he opened up his window then letting go of the wall and letting Seth catch her at the bottom.

"You are going to be in so much trouble if Elizabeth finds out what you did." said Seth dropping Merry on the ground. Merry rolled her eyes at him as she got up, wiping herself off. Ramses looked at the two strangly as Merry and Seth ran onto the street and back to their house.

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hope everyone liked this chappie!!! 


	5. Chapter 5: Twins?

**Chapter 5**

Marisa was pacing very impatiently on her neat and tidy side of the bedroom as she still waited for Merry and Seth to get back from their little outing last night.

"Where on this cursed Earth are they?" she asked aloud, stamping her foot on the floor in exasperation.

"My, my Marisa, I never thought I would ever hear you curse in my life time." Merry stated, climbing through the window. Marisa jumped and quickly ran over to help her twin into the room before she fell back out.

"Where were you?" she demanded, looking over her disoriented sister in front of her with a keen eye. Merry shrugged and tried to get away from her twin as Marisa tried to look at her very bruised cheek.

"Oh, here and there. Seth is downstairs trying to convince the witch that we had been here all night." Merry replied, finally getting away from Marisa. She walked over to her side of the room and started picking her clothes up off the floor, seeing what would be clean enough to wear that day. All the while pretending to listen to her sister rant about something or other.

"Merideth were you listening to a word I said?" Merry, who had just found some clean clothes on her chair, turned to Marisa and looked bored.

"Not a word, my dear sister." Marisa took a few calming breaths and glared at her twin. This conversation would have resulted in a very large argument if Seth had not interrupted them.

A knock came at the door. "Merry, Marisa?" the person on the other side asked.

"What!" the twins yelled in unison.

"Elizabeth sent me up here to tell the both of you to dress your best, as we are all going to the Cunningham's for brunch and all you the children are staying there while Elizabeth and I are in Egypt." The voice, Seth, replied. Merry and Marisa glanced at each other worriedly… those people were evil.

"Window?" Merry asked, ducking behind her changing screen with her cleaner clothes on hand.

"Quite a good idea," Marisa replied, brushing her dark blue skirt to try and rid it of whatever dust was on it to make herself more presentable when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. "Does that mean we actually have to jump out?" she managed to squeak out.

"Of course, did you believe that I meant that we were just to look out the window at the boring city we call London?" Merry replied, running out from behind the screen with just a pair of black trousers and a navy blue undershirt on (though it was highly inappropriate according to Marisa because it was just a tight shirt with no sleeves).

"You are not going to wear just that, are you?" Marisa asked, helping Merry put her shoulder-length brown hair up in just a single French braid, knowing that Merry would have just put it in a messy low bun.

"Of course not my dear sister, I was planning on wearing an over shirt too." Marisa breathed a sigh of relief as she tied off the braid with a piece of string.

"We shall go in different directions and meet up in St. James's park at noon, it will most likely confuse our dear step-sister." Merry snorted and shook her head as she tucked her hair up in a gray cap, much to her sister's displeasure.

"Merideth and Marisa DeLarké! Both of you get down here this instant, before I come up there and get you myself!" Elizabeth yelled from downstairs.

"It is very tempting to see her reaction to my choice of apparel, but I believe that is for another day when she is not hopping mad. Come Miss Marisa, the window calls to us." Merry stated bowing mockingly, as she opened the window up and held out her hand to help her twin out.

"I think you should go first, I insist." Merry rolled her eyes and jumped out of their second floor window.

"Come on now Marisa! I shall catch you, and I actually will this time!" Marisa looked skeptical still, but closed her eyes and quickly jumped out.

"Umph! You should really consider loosing a bit of weight Marisa, now get off before the witch finds us." Merry stated after catching Marisa and falling to the ground with the force of her fall.

"That is not a very proper topic Merideth…" Marisa started to remark, when suddenly the front door slammed open and closed.

"You two are going to get it!" Elizabeth yelled, coming into view as she turned the corner and headed towards them with her voluminous purple dress swishing rapidly.

"I shall see you at noon dear sister!" Merry yelled, taking off in one direction as Marisa headed off in the opposite. Elizabeth stopped and threw her dainty purple silk umbrella onto the ground in exasperation.

"Leave them be Elizabeth, Merry had enough of your anger let out on her last night." Seth stated, watching his little stepsisters run off and away from the house. Elizabeth turned around and picked her umbrella up, while fixing her perfect black hair and walking towards her carriage.

"That is quite alright, they can stay home alone for all I care. We are going to Egypt and that is final, with or without the twins. Come Seth, we do not want to miss our ride." Elizabeth stated, walking into the carriage with her footman's help. Seth sighed and got into the carriage too.

Merry… 

As Merry ran around a corner away from Elizabeth, she cursed at herself for being dunce enough not to wear an overcoat of some sort.

"You would think I would learn after last night!" Merry stated out loud, shoving her hands into her pockets, trying to keep warm. She did not see any point of just walking around aimlessly in London so she decided to go straight to the park and wait around two hours before meeting up with her twin.

"Good morning Miss DeLarké, how are you doing today?" a dressmaker, Mrs. Dawson, asked, she stopped sweeping off the steps of her store as Merry walked by.

"Quite all right Mrs. Dawson," she replied, stopping just to be polite to the older woman. "And yourself?"

"What a polite young lady, I am doing rather well if I do say so myself. Are you and your sister going to come by soon and pick up Marisa's new skirt?" Merry did all she could to keep herself from rolling her eyes; Marisa would only buy her skirts and dresses at that store for some odd reason.

"But of course Mrs. Dawson, now if you shall excuse me, I must be off and meet Marisa in the park. Good day to you ma'am." Merry replied, tipping her cap slightly before continuing on her journey. Mrs. Dawson chuckled and continued to sweep off the front steps of her shop.

At the Emerson Estate… 

Nefret looked out her window in pure boredom as she watched a few people and carriages pass by the house. She sighed and began to count the number of houses she could see.

"Twelve, thirteen, Merry… Merry!" Nefret exclaimed, looking down at the person passing the house. Wanting to get out of the house and actually do something while Amelia and the Professor were in Egypt, she bolted out of her room with her dark blue dress flowing behind her.

"Where, may I ask, are you going?" Ramses asked, from his spot on the sofa in the lounge as he looked up from the book he had been reading.

"Is that really any of your business Ramses?" Nefret countered, putting on her coat and opening up the door. "I think not very much. Tell Evelyn or Walter that I am just out for a small walk and I should be back for luncheon." And with that, she quickly walked out the door and to the right, after Merry. Ramses sighed and got up to follow Nefret, knowing that she would more than likely get into some sort of trouble.

"Tell my aunt and uncle that Nefret and I have gone out for a walk and we shall be back for lunch." Ramses told a passing servant, the young girl nodded and went to find them. Ramses quickly grabbed his coat and walked out of the door to the left… the complete opposite of where Nefret has gone.

About an hour later: Marisa… 

Marisa had decided to kill some time by going to one of her favorite places, the Tower of London. As she walked over to it, she stopped and marveled at its beauty.

"What a splendid place of… oh what the devil is that word?" Marisa wondered out loud.

"Death, perhaps is your word?" a voice said behind her. Marisa jumped and spun around, wishing she had brought a parasol with her, luckily it was only Ramses.

"And who do you think you are, putting in your own words in my thoughts?" Marisa demanded, looking down slightly at a shorter Ramses. "Especially when I was stuck on a word."

"I am terribly sorry Merry, you just seemed like you needed some help with your own thoughts." Ramses replied. Marisa's right eye twitched as he called her Merry; but then again he would have thought she was extremely uncanny if she had corrected him, seeing as he probably had no idea that Merry had an identical twin.

"Have you ever been inside the Tower?" Marisa asked, changing the subject.

"I am not as interested in London's history as I am in Egypt's." Ramses replied. Marisa pretended to look shocked… though it wasn't that hard seeing as she was quite surprised.

"Well then you should get interested because you are going to take the ten o'clock tour with me and you are also going to like it!" Marisa stated, grabbing Ramses by the arm and dragging him towards the entrance.

_I never should have gone after Nefret._ Ramses mentally scolded himself as he was being dragged by who he thought was Merry.

Nefret… 

Nefret had been wondering aimlessly around the small of London in search of her friend and she ended up walking into St. James Park.

"Oh I do hope Merry is in here, or I shall just have to give up my search." Nefret thought out loud, looking around in the nearly deserted park.

"'Ello there girly," a voice said behind Nefret, causing her to spin around quickly.

"What do you want?" Nefret demanded, trying not to look too frightened as a quite drunk man stumbled over to her and grabbed onto her arm. He was about to say something too when yet another voice cut into the conversation.

"Leave the girl alone. She be with me," the person said, walking over with clenched fists with a gray cap hiding part of their face. The man quickly let go and mumbled some sort of apology before stumbling away.

"Thank you good… Merry?" Nefret questioned, lifting the cap off her savior's head.

"The one and only," Merry replied, bowing at the waist mockingly. Nefret laughed and handed her back her cap.

"What are you doing here?" Nefret asked.

"I am meeting – er – I mean, I just wanted to go for a walk and perhaps a small swim too." Nefret looked at her strangely at the part about swimming.

"Where?" she asked.

"Just in the lake over there. Come and join me, the water is quite warm this time of year."

"But I did not bring any of my swimming clothes." Nefret protested, as she followed Merry through the park. "I was only following you because I was bored!"

"Who said anything about swimming clothes? I am talking about just swimming in my clothes right here." Nefret watched Merry sit on the ground near the edge of the water and start to unbutton her shirt and then take off her shoes, socks and set them down on the riverbank.

"Are you really going to –" Nefret began to ask when her question was answered by Merry jumping into the lake with a loud splash. Merry surfaced a few feet away from where she dove in a few moments later and laughed at the expression on Nefret's face.

"You are just like Marisa! Always so stuffy and proper – that is not a good thing by the way." Nefret looked around at the nearly empty park and quickly shed her dress, revealing her gray coloured slip before she took off her shoes and stockings too and jumped into the water after her friend.

Their fun lasted only a few minutes before a shrill shriek was heard and shouting thereafter that went like this: "Merideth Sekhmet DeLarké! What the devil do you think you are doing?"

Merry stopped dead in mid-splash and mentally began to cuss herself out. Both she and Nefret slowly got out of the water and looked over to the two approaching figures, known to them as Ramses and Marisa.

"Hold on one moment," Nefret said, looking from Merry to Marisa with a confused look on her face. Ramses had the exact same look written on his face too.

"If you must know, I am the real Merideth DeLarké. This imposter here is my identical twin sister, Marisa Maat DeLarké."

"Your, twin?" Ramses asked, looking from Merry to Marisa, whom he had just spent one of the most boring hours of his life with.

"Yes, and do not look so upset, Nefret. I would have introduced you to Marisa when I found the time to be right."

"When you found the time to be right my foot! Knowing your memory I would have had better luck introducing myself!" Marisa scoffed, throwing her coat at her twin. "Get dried off, we are going back to the house."

"What for? We have nothing left there, Seth and the witch are off in Egypt again and the other children are off at the evil people's house!" Merry stated. "You do know that you do not have to keep your head turned the other way, do you not Ramses? Nefret and I are still clothed."

Ramses, who had been turned around most of the time, turned back around to face Merry and Nefret. Both of who had managed to put more of their clothing. "Terribly sorry."

"Oh do not apologies, does he always make it a habit to do so?" Merry asked Nefret, who nodded in return.

"Well either way, we must go back and at least retrieve our things… then we can stay in a hotel for awhile I assume that is what you would like to do, Merideth?" Marisa asked, her twin nodding sadly as a reply.

"You two are just going to live in a hotel room for a few months?" Nefret asked.

"We usually do when Seth leaves." Merry explained.

"Well then, why do you and Marisa not come and stay at Walter and Evelyn's estate until they do return?" Nefret questioned, getting a twinkle in her pale blue eyes.

"We would have to ask my aunt and uncle first, but I am sure that they would not mind." Ramses agreed, looking at the twins. Merry and Marisa exchanged a silent conversation through their eyes before replying in unison:

"We would love to."

…………….

Took me forever to update, but I did! REVIEW please!


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